Shared Knowledge

 

“3 in 1 Computer Cable”

 

14 September 2005

 

 

 

If you are like me, in behind my full tower computer is this rat’s nest of cables. My main computer, in addition to the monitor, PS2 mouse and keyboard cables also has USB, Ethernet, audio, video and CATV cables.

 

Recently I inherited 2 computers from my kids, which they used in college but no longer needed or wanted, so I decided I would set up a 3 computer, Ethernet local area network (LAN) and give each computer access to the 4 port wireless router I already had.  Not wanting 3 monitors, keyboards and mice on my desktop, I bought a 4 in 1 switch, which allows me to use a single monitor, mouse and keyboard to control all three computers. In my case, I bought a switch that has integrated 3 in 1 cables but some switches available do not come with 3 in 1 cables and thus are sold separately.

 

If you have a rat’s nest of cables and want to cut down on some of the wires coming and going, perhaps a 3 in 1 cable will work for you. This cable, which has the right sex connectors at the computer end, has the keyboard, monitor and mouse wires all in one, nice, neat cable and at the other end, has the right sex connector so you can connect your keyboard, etc. Another nice thing about the 3 in 1 cable is that they come in various lengths from 6 feet to, I think, 10 feet, which can help considerably when your monitor only has a 4 foot cable on it and every time you have to pull out the computer to work on it, you have to unhook the monitor or keyboard or mouse.

 

Just a thought.